Many children die at plane crash in Spain

Source: Xinhua | 08-21-2008 09:43

MADRID, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Many children were among the dead left by the plane crash at a Spanish airport Wednesday which killed at least 153 people and injured 20 others, said authorities.

General Director of Municipal Assistance of Emergency and Rescue Services Evigio Corral said the minors were accompanying their parents in the airplane which was heading for Las Palmas, a tourist resort on the Canary Islands.

A plane takes off near the site where a Spanish plane  caught fire at Madrid's Barajas airport, Spain, Aug. 20,  2008. (Xinhua Photo)

All nine crew members died and only 20 of the 173 passengers aboard survived, Corral said.

The authorities did not say if there were victims on land.

The 15-year-old Spanair's Flight JK5022 crashed on takeoff and burst into flames at 2:45 p.m. local time (1245 GMT), according to Spanair.

Officials from the Spanish Airports and Air Navigation said air traffic has been resumed to normal at the Barajas airport after the accident.